New insights into cardiac aging
Monday, September 14, 2009 - 15:42
in Biology & Nature
Investigators at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have found that the conserved protein d4eBP modulates cardiac aging in Drosophila (fruit flies). The team also found that d4eBP, which binds to the protein dEif4e, protects heart function against aging. This research enhances our understanding of the TOR and FoxO signaling pathways and provides a more specific target for further research into cardiac aging. Since the TOR and FoxO genes are conserved between Drosophila and humans, this work may lead to new, tissue-specific methods to protect the heart. The paper was published in the journal Aging Cell.